1985 Defender

Hello all,

I am asking a question about my Dad's Defender.

Nearly all of the time it takes forever to start. There is plooms of white smoke comes from the exhaust when it finally does. He has changed the plugs and checked all of the filters and still no joy.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks

Luke

are you sure the plugs actually work ?

is there 12v across them and do they get feeking hot ?

erm - wot injun yu got?

bit more info I think.

Is this a new problem? Or has it always been like this? what's his system for starting it?Have the glow plugs been checked?

White smoke is generally unburnt fuel been fired down the exhaust as long as it clears after a couple of minutes it's not a problem.

When the engine is running remove the oil filler cap. Is their any smoke coming from the filler cap.?

Tell your dad to get in the car and turn the key until the orange glowplug light comes on and to hold it in that position for 20 seconds, And then without touching the accelerator pedal fire the engine up. If that works ok. Then he's got a perfectly normal defender as this is how you start 1 of them.

I'm assuming it's a diesel???

The Mad Hat Man said:

erm - wot injun yu got?

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good point - me reply is gonna confuse him if he's gorra petrol engine

headgasket?

Sorry about not replying sooner. Thanks for the responses I got guys.

Yes the engine is a Diesel.

The process for starting it is to turn the key and hold it for the glowplug light to come on. He holds it for 15 seconds (recomendation from a mechanic friend)

He has had the lpugs tested today and found around 1 Ohm resistence which I have been told it about what it should be...... What is annoying is I Have a Gaylander with the same sort of bloody problem!

I'm ready for the Gaylander jibes! lol but it is a Diesel and not a bloody petrol.

Thanks

Luke

TD defenders do tend to do this, i found the best way was to do 20 seconds, off for 10, back on for 20 then fire it up!

Most improtant thing is not to touch the accelerator before it fires though else it will be a real bugger to get going!

I'd say the head gaskets gone if theres loads of white smoke, mine has just done the same, drives fine still but people behind receive a steam bath free...sorry if thats the case...

Thanks. Storm, how do I tell if the head gasket has gone? Is it worth repairing or should I tell my dad just to get a new engine off fleabay?

Lukejpearson said:

Thanks. Storm, how do I tell if the head gasket has gone? Is it worth repairing or should I tell my dad just to get a new engine off fleabay?

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Well 1st you need to be sure its the head gasket. I'm not an expert and i obviously cant see your landy.

The symptoms when my head gasket went were, in no particular order...

Loads, and i mean loads of white 'smoke' from the exhaust, especially when idling. I say 'smoke' cos thats what it looks like but its actually steam as water enters the system and is boiled through the exhaust system.

The expansion tank from the radiator was very pressurised, when i took the cap off, VERY SLOWLY, the fluid was bubbling away.

Starting was more difficult and it felt like i was having a fuel problem...as in running a bit uneven, the cause on mine was water in the injectors.

The landy still ran ok...used loads of water obviously, 1.5 litres per 100 miles. Only did this to get it home as it was midnight, snowing and i was in the forests of denmark...DONT TRY THIS, my head cylinder was cracked when examined whilst replacing the head gasket.

A replacement head gasket set is 30 pounds, and its not a hard job if you are 2, believe me, i did it and i hesitate before changing a fuse!! I got fantastic advice here, cheers Sean amongst others, the chief etc...Took me a weekend but i replaced the head, 300 quid, hopefully you wont have to do that.

Theres a step by step download with pictures...i'll try and post it.

As i started by saying, get it checked to see if it is the head gasket 1st, there must be someone near you whos in this forum....or throw a garage a tenner just to look at it, they will know within 5 mins...

Anything else just ask....Good Luck..Mark

Heres the guide...i hope, not too good with cut and paste!

2.5 N/A head gasket replacement - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

before farting about with the head gasket- check your injectors. If they are bunged up, the fuel wont atomise properly and will be a sod to get detonation. My old S3 did this always and was fine after i fitted some better injectors. They are an arse to get out though!! Be worth fitting your glowplugs in parallel too- if one fails, the others will still work. If it is in series- as in wired from one to the next, if one goes- they all go.

All the non TDi engines are a bit of a challenge to get going in the cold weather!! My s3 diesel sometimes took over a minute of cranking to go!!!

grumbleweed said:

Be worth fitting your glowplugs in parallel too- if one fails, the others will still work. If it is in series- as in wired from one to the next, if one goes- they all go.

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Only if the wire snaps??

or if one plug goes down- no transfer of current on some setups!

All mine are wired with ring terminal on each wire. So the terminals are always connected so even if a glowplug dies the current will still flow to the next plug and so on. only thing that would stop it. Is if the wire breaks